FranklinCovey's 7 Habits Coach

Members can also sign up for FranklinCovey’s 7 Habits Coach 10-episode webcast series designed to help navigate real problems in challenging times. The series will be delivered daily for 10 days to help you: Focus on what you can influence when there is a lot out of your control. Get the skills to prioritize in the midst of overwhelming outside forces. Apply timeless principles to preserve relationships with family, friends and colleagues in times of stress.

Register Now

7 Steps to Better Procurement

Webinar Description

Good materials procurement keeps a business operating, but great procurement allows a contractor to:

• Outperform their competition
• Grow their top-line revenue at scale
• Withstand unforeseen changes in pricing and availability
• Complete more work with less overhead
• Reduce risk of errors and job delays

After interviewing thousands of contractors, Kojo identified that there are seven steps that businesses with an efficient procurement process follow. During this webinar, learn about the 7 Steps to Better Procurement, identifying common inefficiencies and opportunities to implement change. In addition, you’ll hear real-world examples on improvements to streamline procurement processes from Central Electric President Chris Martinez.

	SPEAKERS INFO
	Maria Davidson is CEO and founder of Kojo, construction’s leading materials management software. Before Kojo, she helped build 8VC, a venture fund with over $3.5 billion in assets under management and spent time as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs. Davidson has been selected to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list and named one of Inc. Magazine’s Top 100 Female Founders.
	Chris Martinez is president of Central Electric. He and his brother bought Central Electric from their parents almost 10 years ago. When Martinez joined the company, there was a team of seven. Today, they boast a team of over 150 employees. He is most passionate about growing people; Central Electric is constantly working on team engagement and has an over 97% retention rate.

Simple and Effective Ways To Prove Prevailing Wage in 2024

ABC Members Only

With new changes to prevailing wage regulations that went into effect in October, proving your workers are being paid a prevailing wage on government contracts is more important than ever.

Unfortunately, tracking worker hours on government projects via paper or spreadsheets can not only make processing certified payroll a nightmare but possibly put construction companies on a path for noncompliance.

Learn how construction companies are using ExakTime to prove prevailing wage simply and effectively by:

• Easy clock in and out from the mobile app.
• A dropdown menu that allows employees to simply choose “certified payroll” for a jobsite, automatically classifying all hours worked at the site.
• Choice of “contract action” or job for each payroll site.
• A certified payroll report that lets managers review the hours worked at those sites by employee.

	Speaker Bios:
	Michael Dickran boasts an impressive career spanning over a decade in the construction industry. He’s been a driving force for thousands of contractors, helping them simplify their time collection and operational processes. With a knack for blending tech know-how with exceptional customer service, Dickran is the go-to guy for construction firms looking to streamline their operations and boost their success.
	Hugo Ramirez is a seasoned Customer Success Specialist at ExakTime, specializing in Post Onboarding check-ins and Retention strategies. With a wealth of knowledge, he serves as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) for ExakTime, ensuring optimal client experiences and sustained satisfaction.
	Moderator Information:
	Patrick Scarpati is director of construction technology and innovation for Associated Builders and Contractors. In this role, Scarpati provides construction technology education to all members and chapters and researches current and future potential trends. As a licensed HVAC-R journeyperson by trade, Scarpati has led various construction technology initiatives with a general contractor and trade partner where he ensured collaboration, purpose and process were the keys to successful implementation.

Construction Executive’s 2024 Construction Economic Forecast

Webinar Description

Crafted with commercial contractors in mind, ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu’s presentation will reflect on an unusual year—one that started with high inflation and fears of an impending recession but ultimately held steady, producing more stable growth than anticipated—and will continue with a look forward into 2024 and beyond.

As always, Basu offers insights on challenges facing the industry, sharing data and insights on labor expenses, materials pricing, market sector growth and construction spending, as well as the latest on inflation and the Fed’s efforts to engineer a soft landing and his predictions as to if and/or when we’ll actually see a recession.

Sign up for this 60-minute presentation, followed by 30 minutes of live Q&A. Questions may be submitted in advance when you register for this webinar.

	Speaker Bios:
	Anirban Basu is chairman and CEO of Sage Policy Group Inc., an economic and policy consulting firm in Baltimore. He is chief economist for Associated Builders and Contractors. The Baltimore Business Journal named him one of the region’s 20 most powerful business leaders in 2010. His radio show can be heard weekdays on WYPR, 88.1 FM Baltimore. He teaches History of Economic Thought at Goucher College as their Distinguished Economist in Residence.

Cybersecurity: Don’t Allow Your Firm To Be the Next Headline!

Webinar Description
For ABC Members and Chapter Staff only.

In today’s interconnected world, the construction industry is increasingly reliant on technology and data to drive productivity and efficiency. However, this digital transformation comes with significant cybersecurity risks. With the rise of cyberthreats, it is vital for construction companies to prioritize their cybersecurity measures.

Some key takeaways include:

• Cybersecurity for construction—Understanding the unique challenges and vulnerabilities the construction industry faces in the digital landscape and learn how to protect projects, data and operations.
• Egnyte solutions for secure data management—Explore the latest innovations in secure data management from Egnyte and how these solutions can fortify your construction business against cyberthreats.
• Expert insights—Gain invaluable insights from renowned cybersecurity expert Nick Espinosa, who will share real-world experiences and strategies to mitigate cyberrisks and keep your construction company safe.
• Interactive Q&A session—Engage with industry experts during a live Q&A session to address specific cybersecurity concerns and receive personalized guidance.

	Speaker Bios:
	Nick Decker is the practice leader for construction at Egnyte. He brings experience in the construction technology and innovation space from his time at Bluebeam and Dusty Robotics. Decker originally comes from the construction and engineering industry.
	An expert in cybersecurity and network infrastructure, Nick Espinosa has consulted with clients ranging from small businesses to Fortune 100 companies. In 2015, he launched Security Fanatics, dedicated to designing custom cyberdefense strategies for medium to large-scale enterprise corporations. Espinosa is a member of the Forbes Technology Council, a TEDx speaker and co-author of the bestselling book “Easy Prey.”
	Moderator Information:
	Matthew Abeles is vice president of construction technology and innovation for Associated Builders and Contractors. In this role, Abeles spearheads efforts to integrate construction technology and innovation into all aspects of ABC’s strategic initiatives, included but not limited to total human health, industry-leading safety and workforce development. His team provides ABC members with the annual Tech Report, Tech Marketplace and Tech Alliance.

‘Ambush’ Election Rule

Despite being litigated for years, the Biden administration’s NLRB has revived controversial policy from the Obama era in the form of its Representation-Case Procedures final rule. The direct final rule, issued without notice and the opportunity to comment, essentially restores provisions of the “ambush” election rule of 2014 and rescinds the remaining ABC-supported provisions of the 2019 final rule. The rule will apply to representation petitions filed on or after Dec. 26, 2023, and employers will have less time to respond to representation petitions.

"Blacklisting" Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces

On Aug. 24, 2016, the Obama administration issued the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces (or “blacklisting”) final rule, which would have threatened federal contractors’ due process rights, injected unwarranted subjectivity and added needless and duplicative layers of bureaucracy and costs into the federal acquisition process.

CHIPS Act

In July 2022, Congress enacted the CHIPS Act of 2022 (Division A of P.L. 117-167), which was signed into law by President Joe Biden on Aug. 9, 2022.

Fair and Open Competition on Taxpayer-Funded Federal and Federally Assisted Construction Projects

FTC Proposed Ban on Noncompetes

Status

On Jan. 5, the Federal Trade Commission issued a proposed rule that would ban all noncompete agreements with limited exceptions. According to the FTC, the proposed rule would make it illegal for an employer to enter into or attempt to enter into a noncompete with a worker, maintain a noncompete with a worker, or represent to a worker, under certain circumstances, that the worker is subject to a noncompete.

Health Care

Providing quality health care benefits is a top priority for ABC and its member companies.

ABC advocates for policies that would ensure employer-sponsored coverage is strengthened and remains a viable, affordable option for millions of hardworking Americans and their families.

Immigration Reform

Infrastructure

IRA Tax Credits

The Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law on Aug. 16, 2022, and provides over $270 billion in tax credits for the construction of solar, wind, hydrogen, carbon sequestration, electric vehicle charging stations and other clean energy projects.

Joint Employer

On Nov. 9,  ABC joined the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and a coalition of business groups in filing a lawsuit challenging the National Labor Relations Board’s Joint Employer final rule for violating the National Labor Relations Act and for acting arbitrarily and capriciously in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act. Effective Feb. 26, 2024, the final rule takes an ax to the ABC-supported 2020 NLRB joint employer final rule, which provided clear criteria for companies to apply when determining status.

Multiemployer Pension Plans

National Environmental Policy Act

OSHA Electronic Injury Reporting Rulemaking

On July 21, 2023, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued its Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses final rule, which will undo the ABC-supported provisions of the 2019 final rule promulgated under the Trump administration and reprise the 2016 Obama-era rule. The final rule becomes effective on Jan. 1, 2024, for certain employers and OSHA intends to make much of the data it collects publicly available online.

OSHA Heat Injury and Illness Prevention Rulemaking

On Oct. 27, 2021, OSHA issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings, which requested information on how to implement regulations to prevent workers from hazardous heat. ABC, as a steering committee member of the Construction Industry Safety Coalition, submitted comments in response to the ANPRM on Jan. 26, 2022.

Overtime Rulemaking

On Nov. 7, ABC submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Labor in opposition to a proposed rulemaking that would alter overtime regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act. 

Protecting the Right to Organize Act

President Joe Biden continues to back and support provisions in the ABC-opposed Protecting the Right to Organize Act (H.R.20/S.567), which would violate workers’ free choice and privacy rights, force unions on employees who have voted against such representation, cost millions of American jobs and threaten vital supply chains.

Waters of the United States

Workforce Development

Worker Walkaround Representative Designation Process

On Nov. 13, 2023, ABC submitted comments urging the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration to withdraw its Worker Walkaround Representative Designation Process proposed rule, which would allow employees to choose a third-party representative, such as an outside union representative or community organizer, to accompany an OSHA inspector into nonunion facilities.

DOL Inspector General Releases Report on Davis-Bacon Wage Audit

On March 29, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General released an audit examining the DOL’s Wage and House Divisions survey process for collecting and determining the prevailing wage rate in four types of construction projects. According to the report, the OIG found that, as of September 2018, 3% of WHD’s 134,738 unique published rates, roughly 4,400, had not been updated in 21 to 40 years. Additionally, of seven sampled surveys that analyzed 124 wage rates, the OIG found 48% of the rates were not determined from data about a single construction worker within the 31 counties that the published rates represented. Finally, the report found union wages prevailed for 48% of the wage determinations, despite the fact that just 12.8% of the U.S. private construction workforce is unionized.

Read more.